Minority members don’t like House map

Minority members are grousing about the proposed House redistricting map.

Minorities accounted for nearly 90 percnet of the population growth over the past decade but the map does not reflect that growth, Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Harris complained to House Redistricting Chair Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton.

“The minority population growth that drove the growth in the state was not used in a way that actually promoted minority representation. In fact, it’s actually gone the other way,” Farrar told Solomons.

The redistricting chairman simply conceded that people will have disagreements and different opinions.

“I’m trying to accomplish a goal of having a legal map,” Solomons said.

Turner complained that no one asked the black caucus to input.
“You could have come down to my office,” Solomons told Turner. “I have been pretty available. If somebody wants to talk to me, they could have talked to me.”

Amendments to the bill are in the hopper. Solomons is still taking questions from members.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, told Solomons the current debate is the “beginning chapter in a long redistricting litigation battle.”

Solomons said he hopes to avoid litigation over the state House map.

“Maybe we can sit down and look at each others amendments and avoid that (lawsuit) all together,” Martinez Fischer told Solomons. “I’ll meet you half way.”